Weekend Box Office Report: October 11-13, 2013

Audiences are finding it difficult to resist the forces of GRAVITY, launching the space thriller to #1 again with another $44.2 million!

Talk about strong word-of-mouth business -- director Alfonso Cuaron's 3D zero-G film dropped a mere 20% from its opening weekend, setting a record for best second-weekend hold (excluding holiday periods), not to mention the highest IMAX second weekend. GRAVITY has already banked $123.4 million domestically after ten days, with repeat customers also keeping the awards-buzzed astronaut adversity up on top of the chart.

Speaking of awards, Sandra Bullock may have some company whenever nominations are announced, judging by the response to Tom Hanks' performance in CAPTAIN PHILLIPS. The new real-life pirate thriller from filmmaker Paul Greengrass opened in second with $26 million, but earned a rare 'A' CinemaScore from audiences (higher than GRAVITY's 'A-') and raves from critics (95% on Rotten Tomatoes), which should also keep it adrift thanks to word-of-mouth.

Coming in third and still hungry was CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2with $14.2 million over its third weekend of release. With no family-friendly competition coming until November, the food-filled CG-sequel appears likely to meet or exceed the first movie's $124.8 million domestic total.

In fourth place, Robert Rodriguez's new R-rated action sequel MACHETE KILLS got murdered with just $3.7 million. Despite a top-notch supporting cast, the exaggerated grindhouse-style carnage was a Mexican't with both crowds ('B-' CinemaScore) and critics (30% on Rotten Tomatoes).

The bloodbath's budget was kept reasonable (around $20M) thanks to Rodriguez's well-known efficiency, but the first MACHETE started with $11.4 million when it sliced into theaters back in 2010. MACHETE KILLS is also the lowest opening ever for the filmmaker, even behind SHORTS. Maybe Danny Trejo won't be venturing into space after all...

Outside the chart, PULLING STRINGS and ENOUGH SAID couldn't make the cut, and new limited releases felt the sting -- the latest version of Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET got poisoned with only $509k on 461 screens, the drama THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER AND PETE made $260 on 147 screens, and the festival fave ESCAPE FROM TOMORROW had just a $2,200 per-screen average (it's also available on VOD).

Next weekend brings the month's only big horror release as Chloe Moretz gets bloody for the remake of CARRIE, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger try to get out of prison in ESCAPE PLAN, and Benedict Cumberbatch gives away all the secrets in the Wikileaks movie THE FIFTH ESTATE. Limited releases include the slavery drama 12 YEARS A SLAVE, the Robert Redford solo sailing thriller ALL IS LOST, and the Allen Ginsberg biopic KILL YOUR DARLINGS.